By CLEMENT NWOJI, Abuja
The Federal Road Safety has commenced special Easter operations with over 200 mobile courts to try road safety offenders and the deployment of critical logistics.
The FRSC Corps Marshall, Dauda Ali Biu, who directed the commencement of the operations between 6th-12th April, 2023, further tasked the Commanding Officers to ensure full deployment of staff for maximum visibility, prompt removal of obstructions and ease of movement on all highways across the country.
He explained that the objectives of the special operations include reduction in Road Traffic Crashes, Road Traffic Fatalities and Road Traffic Injuries; prompt response to road traffic crash victims; unhindered engagement in purposeful public education and enlightenment and speedy removal of obstructions from the highways, among others.
A statement from the FRSC disclosed that to achieve this, over 743 patrol vehicles, 184 administrative vehicles, 92 ambulances, 23 tow trucks and 144 motorbikes are being deployed as part of the patrol logistics.
Furthermore, reflective jackets , traffic cones, tyre pressure gauges, a number of extricating machines and digital breathalyzers are part of the tools set aside for the special operations.
Also, a total of 23 Help Areas have been mobilised to ensure prompt removal of obstructions, and rescue operations during the period.
The Corps Marshall said these were in addition to the 15 traffic control camps which would be dedicated solely to identifying traffic gridlock areas to be manned by our personnel on 24/7 basis during the Easter Celebration.
For effective monitoring and prompt response, the Corps has put in place a Situation Room at the National Headquarters to monitor the activities across the country, collate and process information for dissemination to relevant commands and stakeholders as the case may be.
This is in addition to the activation of 28 Road Traffic Crash Clinics and 53 Zebra points located along the major routes which would be covered by 92 ambulances that would be fully utilized to respond promptly to cases of rescue and convey injured victims to hospitals for more professional attention.
On the mobile courts operations, Biu explained that the following offences are to be checked and Violators tried: Speeding and Dangerous Driving/Overtaking, Lane indiscipline/Route violation, Road Obstructions, Use of Phone while Driving, Overloading, Seatbelt/Child restraint Use Violations, Passenger’s Manifest Violation, Operation of mechanical deficient and rickety vehicles, Latching and Twist-Locks Violation, Illegal use of the Spy Number Plates.
The Corps Marshal assured members of the public that in achieving the objectives of the special operations, the Corps would combine the engagement of the motoring public through purposeful and impactful public education programmes, strengthening of surveillance activities to regulate unprofessional excesses, sustained effective patrol operations as well as adequate monitoring on the highways.
He also directed the Commanding Officers to liaise with other strategic stakeholders within their operational areas to secure the needed moral and logistics as well as security support.
He identified some of the stakeholders as Military formations (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Police (enroute or resident); DSS (enroute or resident); the Nigeria Immigration Service; the NSCDC (enroute or resident).
Others are Federal Ministry of Works and Housing; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); State Traffic Management Agencies; State owned NGO’s ambulance Services providers; National Network on Emergency Rescue Services (NNES);
Federal Road Maintenance Agencies and Federal Fire Service.
On the overall preparedness of the Corps for the special operations, the Corps Marshal expressed optimism that Nigerians would as usual, cooperate with members of the Corps and other security agencies as well as volunteers who would come out to assist the Corps in traffic management during the period, stressing that with the massive deployment of personnel and logistics and the envisaged public support, the celebration would be a huge success.
The Corps Marshall, in the statement endorsed by Bisi Kazeem, Assistant Corps Marshal Corps Public Education Officer, reassured the motoring public of FRSC’s renewed vigour towards entrenching sanity on the roads and wished all Nigerians safe and successful Easter celebrations.
